- Hurricanes Debby and Helene caused many businesses, including grocers, to close up shop in Live Oak.
- The impact of those storms is one of the reasons why ABC 27 and the Second Harvest expanded this year's Turkey Drive to feed 3,000 families. Including 1,000 in Suwannee County.
- Watch the video to hear from a business owner about closing her shop after 44 years in business.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
After two hurricanes, evidence of the storms seem to be on every corner of Downtown Live Oak.
Neighbors said it's just one example of the need many are facing.
Hurricane Debby forced many downtown staples like Suzie's Flowers to close shop.
Their owner said she's just one of many still feeling the impacts from the hurricanes.
"September 1st, 1980."
That's when Susan Skipper opened Suzie's Flowers in Live Oak.
Her store has seen a fire and several storms, but Debby took the roof off her building.
"The ceiling tiles, it damaged the floor," Skipper said. "Of course, then Helene came and blew our window out."
After 44 years, she is closing down at the end of the year.
"This is really not the way I wanted to go out," Skipper said.
But, it was the way several businesses downtown ended up having to close.
Impacts of Debby and Helene are one of the reasons Second Harvest of the Big Bend, with the help of ABC 27's Turkey Drive, came to Suwannee Riverside Elementary to serve 1,000 families.
CEO Monique Ellsworth said food insecurity has been made worse with the closure of a Winn-Dixie and some other grocers in town.
"We've also seen many businesses that are closing due to the impact of the storms coming through, so the economic impact to Live Oak is pretty extreme," Ellsworth said.
Neighbor Roy Gill has seen it firsthand.
"There's a lot of places empty in Jasper and Live Oak and all around the county," Gill said. "People can't run their business anymore because there's not enough business."
He was one of the neighbors in line for the food distribution and said he is grateful for the help.
"This is a great thing for us, that's why I am here," Gill said.
Skipper said efforts like this remind her of why she loves her community.
"You have a lot of community support here and it just makes it a nice place to live," Skipper said.
Skipper said the best way to support people like her through the end of the year is by shopping at your favorite local stores or stopping by some new ones.
If you need additional help with food, head to fightinghunger.org for a list of resources near you.
